As reported by dpreview members Nikon in both Japan and Australia have announced that they will be offering buffer memory upgrades effectively doubling the buffer size. Estimated cost will be about $500 and the camera has to be shipped to Nikon.

What will Nikon do with new D3 cameras coming out of the factory? I can see following options:

1. Continue with small buffer and continue to offer the buffer upgrade post sale. Sounds inefficient but maybe this is the way they will go if they have already produced all the D3 cameras they think they will sell.

2. Will soon replace the D3 with an upgraded D3s model integrating the upgraded buffer and maybe some minor enhancements and pushing up the price back to RRP levels.

3. Will discontinue the D3 and come up with something completely new.


Take your pick

Ironically, I was going to reply to this shortly after it was posted, but I chose not to and now MR has commented on this on the "What's New" page.

My own guess is that the D3 stays in the Nikon lineup for another 18 months and that the newer ones (D3s most likely) have the larger buffer and a few other goodies that justify Nikon resetting the price back to the original MSRP. It seems to me that there's a place for a D3 (or D3s) in Nikon's lineup despite a D700 and a higher MP FX DSLR (probably a D4) because I doubt that the D700 will be rugged enough for PJ use or that the higher MP DSLR will be able to match the high ISO performance of the D3/D700's sweet sensor.

That would be a first in Nikon's history, and is IMHO very unlikely.

The way I forsee the Nikon line up in 6 months is:

- D90 (D300 internals in a D80 body) at a price lower than the 40D
- D300
- D700
- D3s (similar to D3 with larger buffer and a few other goodies) same price as the D3
- D10 (25 MP and possibly modular design) in the 6000 US$ range

Cheers,
Bernard

The larger buffer is in my own point of view an option, there are people choose to take and there are people choose not to. If I remembered correctly, Nikon did this earlier, may be with D1X?? Or I could be wrong. I think it is good to keep a "enough" spec on a platform camera, and offer "never enough" option for a more specific group of customer. The point is, this is really nice, why there are no other camera maker follow suit? I would love Canon offers it (although I don't need it) but it is always nice to know you have other options and certainly there will be people embrace it.

Yes, but what about if one buys a D3 say in a few months time and requires the bigger buffer. Will he have to buy the camera and then send it off to Nikon for upgrade? Remember Nikon have not announced this as an 'option' for new cameras. An option would mean I could buy it new with or without the large buffer.

This is what makes me think that something is on the horizon. D3s anyone?

You forgot to mention the D60, which I'm sure will stay in the lineup.

My first reply was ambiguous. I would consider a D3s the same as a D3, with just a larger buffer and perhaps some other features such as sensor cleaning. No, I do not think Nikon would produce both a D3s and a D3.

If I were to place a bet, I would bet against a modular design being announced this year or next year.